Due to its isolated location, the ancient citadel of Termessos, although not far from the famous tourist destinations of the coastal city of Antalya, Türkiye, has very few visitors. It has a wonderful atmosphere, a blend of historical architecture, landscape and tranquility, nature and the ravages of time - all creating one of the greatest archaeological wonders. era of the Mediterranean region .
It's a pity for those who missed out. As for tourists who have made the effort to find this place, they will certainly feel like they have caught a big reward when they wander and explore one of Türkiye's most impressive ancient cities on their own. In its heyday 2000 years ago, Termessos was once a bustling trading place for residents and merchants.
Today, in Termessos there are still giant tombs, large underground tanks, temples, fortified walls and a theater, all located on mountain tops more than 1,000 meters above sea level. sea. From here, visitors can see for miles around.
Ancient tombs
Hidden behind the dense trees on the edge of the area where ancient trading and exchange activities once took place, are the remains of a large road running along the hillside. Instead of houses or shops, this place houses the tombs of the rich and powerful people of Termessos.
Each ancient coffin is scattered, carved with shapes that partly show the status of the deceased, such as shields and spears for warriors. Some tombs are quite small, but there are also very large tombs, proportional to the level of wealth or power of the owner. Many graves are not even intact.
All have been destroyed by grave robbers over the centuries. The stone coffin walls were broken and the sturdy lid was also pried open. Over time, vines and tree roots also wriggled through the gaps in the dolmens.
“Tomb robbers were actively active here,” commented Onder Uguz, a tour guide specializing in tours to Termessos.
Onder Uguz was fascinated the first time he set foot in Termessos as a student. He said, to get to the center of the ancient citadel, visitors have to walk on a steep road with overgrown trees on both sides, with some quite rough and dangerous sections. Soon, however, the lower walls of the city come into view - the first sign that Termessos is well defended. Around the 4th or 5th century BC, the people of Termessos achieved such incredible construction techniques.
Uguz said that this is no mystery. According to him, while we have technological achievements in modern times, our ancient ancestors also had their own secrets and skills.
The people of Termessos are called Solyms, descendants of the Luwi people, an ancient civilization that spread across what is now Türkiye, but has not been noticed by archaeologists until the last few decades. That is why today, little is known about the Solyms and when they built their city.
In fact, only they know what they are doing. Choosing the location to build the city of Termessos shows that they are geniuses in strategic thinking. Not only was it located on the main trade route, helping them become rich through trade in goods in the Mediterranean region, the height and panoramic view of the structure made defense easy.
Gladiator school
Climbing higher up the hillside via a rocky path, visitors will encounter marble ruins - what remains of the city's arena, a training ground for trainee soldiers.
The complete gladiator school once had both a bathhouse and a dining hall. A corner of the building is still intact, with the delicate curved roof architecture remaining on the front wall clearly visible. Inside there are two floors and an additional underground cellar for storage. Ahead is an area that was once used for wrestling and combat training, but is now only ruins and desolation.
It is believed that Termessos was destroyed by an earthquake that probably occurred in the 4th or 5th century. What remains is not an archaeological reconstruction but the current state of a structure antiquity that has existed for the past 1,600 years.
An impressive testament to the civilization that once existed in Termessos is the remains of a covered drainage system. For a city with scarce water resources, that is one of the remarkable achievements. The drainage system is attached to giant underground tanks, divided into many compartments by manually chiseling directly into solid rock.
Huge water tanks hold up to 1,500 liters of water, playing an important role in the survival of a city.
Today, these water tanks are only full of rubble and broken stone pillars. There is speculation that water shortages may have been the cause of the final decision to relocate the city elsewhere.
Sales shop
In Termessos there remains the wall outside the conference building, which was once the seat of city power, and the ruins of a street where the most luxurious shops were located.
“This is the Champs-Élysées of Termessos,” Uguz said. He explained that, like the bustling avenue of high-end stores in Paris, France, this will be where rich people spend their money. The finest olive oils, fabrics, leather goods and imported goods from across the Mediterranean will be on sale here.
However, all of this is just a sideline to the city's main attraction, which is the theater.
After climbing over the giant marble slabs, visitors will see a majestic panorama of the large performance space, located at the highest point of the city.
The scene is breathtaking, next to the rolling mountain peaks are steep stairs descending to the bottom of the theater, making people dizzy. With a capacity of about 4,000 people, the stone steps run around in a semicircle, facing the ruins of what used to be the performance stage.
In Termessos, this location is especially important because it is located opposite a mountain sacred to the city's residents. The mountain has views stretching dozens of kilometers all the way to the port of Antalya on fog-free days.
And also in this location is a suitable place to sit and imagine life nearly 2,000 years ago, where there was an ancient civilization that developed persistently and brilliantly.
